“Get out, Manny! Get out!”
The bread, Manny . . . the bread we feed the children . . .
No, no, Manny. Not boxing.
Stay in boxing as long as your body can meet your high expectations.
Get out of UNA!
Now. Right now.
You are a sportsman. You deal fair, you fight fair. There is nothing personal against other boxers when you enter the ring. You are a professional, something that cannot be said about others in your sport. You walk with integrity, and are respected for it around the world.
UNA is a political platform made up of liars and cheats who hit below the belt. The top dawg, Mr. Jejomar Binay, has turned on his nation, seeking to undermine the President and usurp power for himself.
usurp: yo͞oˈsərp/verb/ take (a position of power or importance) illegally or by force.
Testimony before the Senate shows that Mr. Binay has stolen money. There was no “alleged” to the fact that a building worth P900 million was sold to taxpayers for P2.3 billion. Or that the main financial wizard and witness, a certain Gerry Limlingan, has disappeared. There is no alleged to that at all.
Nor has it been explained by Jejomar Binay. He is running better than Mayweather. And we can only make deductions from that, from what we see.
It is easy to deduce that Jejomar Binay is using the stolen money to buy the mayors and governors and voters directly. And to build lavish estates around the world to glorify himself and his family. You can ask us to put allegedly there, but you know the truth. You can choose to put your head in the sand, but you know the truth.
Ask Jejomar Binay what happened to the money.Then watch his eyes for deceit.
Pope Francis:
“Those who take kickbacks have lost their dignity and give their children dirty bread”
Do you understand what His Eminence is saying, Manny?
Is your faith honest?
And another question . . .
Would you pay off a boxing judge, Manny? Have you done that? Do you want to win that way?
Not from what I can see. Not from a man who carries himself with dignity, always, and who gives himself to God before and after a fight.
Jejomar Binay does though. He wants to win that way.
He is buying his way to the win.
And that is why you don’t belong with him.
Jejomar Binay can play the game only for so long, Manny. Eventually, it will catch up to him. Maybe tomorrow or next week. Maybe in a month or two. Maybe five years from now. But he is going down. That is the nature of such aberrations. They can’t survive in a society that is fundamentally good and that wants fair dealing.
aberration: ˌabəˈrāSH(ə)n/noun/ a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected, typically one that is unwelcome
People are starting to turn against you, Manny. Maybe you don’t yet see it, but it is happening. The people who are turning are not the masa, the laboring poor, but the influential. The educated. The people who will define the Philippines in the future as upstanding, honest and productive.
The people who write the history books.
Don’t be on the wrong side of the line, Manny. The legacy line. The one that could see your hard-earned sports legacy – incredibly hard-earned – shot down the tubes for a political decision.
Finally, think about your kids, Manny. Think about Jejomar Binay’s. Think about your kids as adults.
Is that what you want for them? Do you want your kids to go down the path of lies and cheating and self-deception, to defend their old man, who lost his way?
It’s not worth it, Manny, to win that way.
It’s just not worth it.
Jump parties.
Be bold.
That’s often done in the Philippines when one person is betrayed by another.
And, Manny, you are being betrayed. What you stand for is being usurped. Tarnished.
You don’t have to go to LP if you believe they are the enemy. Go with NP, a businessman’s party. Or go independent and tie in with Poe/Escudero, or even Old Man Estrada, who has redeemed himself through good works.
But don’t go with “stank”.
Don’t go with the worst sport in the Philippines, Manny, a manipulator who will do anything for the win, bite ears, hammer kidneys, hit below the belt, put ointment on his gloves . . . pay off the referee . . .
It is not your style.
Don’t let your fans down like that.
The Society of Honor by Joe America 
Yes, get out, Manny!
I echo every word except the part of going with Estrada (my personal take – I’m not convinced yet by his good work, or his son Jinggoy’s).
Binay, Estrada, Arroyo. Please stay out of these three and their ilks. I’ll pray that God give you the discernment to do the right thing, in Jesus Name.
His family’s almost half-a-century long reign in San Juan is nauseating.
His mistress, his son by her, his grandchildren control the council and KB (before elections were repeatedly postponed by PNOY as it is becoming clear as day that KB is being used as a platform to promote political dynasty and corrupting the youth in so doing)… His grandchildren are being groomed to take over after 3 terms of each incumbent.
What about Manila, which son, daughter or grandchild will he groom for this city? They are all the same, the Binays, the Arroyos, the Estradas.
They were like leeches who wont let go until the nation’s blood (coffers) run dry.
Please, Manny, don’t let any one of these families use you, your money and your fame for their evil plans.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/702467/san-juan-clash-of-clans-estradas-plans-anger-ally
“Or go independent and tie in with Poe/Escudero, or even Old Man Estrada, who has redeemed himself through good works.” – I don’t think ERAP redeemed himself through good works. He is still very trapo to me. Manila is full of his “epal” projects. Try passing by quezon avenue, and you will see waiting sheds with either his name or face on them.
Get out, Manny. Focus on boxing and forget politics. Politics is not for you. Maawa ka naman sa Pilipinas kung naghahangad ka pang maging senador.
Weird thing about Filipinos is when they are told not to vote for Binay or Manny, THEY VOTE FOR THEM.
WHY? Filipinos love underdogs.
Why? These bobotantes sell their votes!!
They will use Pacquiao for his name and his money, and discard him the moment either fades.
Please Manny, stick to boxing. Or if you really want to help the people of Sarangani, at least stop being absent so often and actually come to Congress and make laws. It’s not like you have any upcoming bouts or games at the PBA to coach (Yeng Guiao seems to be able to balance his coaching and congressional duties, why not Manny?)
The IMF’s first ever Fiscal Transparency report on the Philippines showed the government was classified as either “advanced” or “good” in 23 out of 36 categories tracked by the multilateral lender. The Philippines earned a grade of “basic” (met minimum requirements) in eight categories, but failed in four.
Stay out of UNA. If you will retire from boxing ,please retire so you could go full time in politics. If you plan for one or two more matches,there is no place for you in 2016.
Joe, you have hit the right nerve here – I can tell you as someone whose head is elite and Western but whose heart will always be masa and Filipino. And thank you for seeing that old man Erap has for all his vices and failures shown that he is a good man at heart and redeemed himself.
You are talking boxing talk, now even if you are not writing in Tagalog or Cebuano this is the talk the masa gets, the language of the street not that of the business lounge or Makati towers.
Thank you Irineo. Been around, done this, read that, played on the streets and the barangay plazas. I don’t hang with foreigners, and cherish the times spent with real people, those who work hard and laugh well.
Thanks for the line or two of pansin JoeAm for my comments. Having a blog is like being a father or a mother (a Brad Pitt or Angelina) they react and respond to the stimuli of their children, dishing out praise or correction on the spot. Your blog now makes you truly a Filipino Father rabbit. Your brood is growing. Your rejoinder swells the heart with healthy blood.
Good talk then you gave and wrote a son named Pacquiao. He would not have understood me as an older brother but he must heed the father. I would have told him what is done is done. There is no turning back on a decided wrong if he knew it from the beginning . With his God given free will, reason and responsibility makes the wrong deed of knowing evil and disregarding it, can not be condoned even by time. It will haunt and stay unerased and undeleted in the soul even of his descendants. No one may preach and must NOT say that St. Peter will confront him and his children when they present themselves at the Pearly Gates.
Even philosophers are in quandary about good and evil. Some say they are not antagonist counterparts but causal. God’s omnipotence suggests that good can not be absolute. His creatures man and animals can not be merely good; their existence pre-determined and perfect. Man created in God’s image must have free will to make a choice between good and evil guided only by His ten commandments. When man kills, steals, or commit adultery it is just like choosing bad company. THAT’S IT. Nothing can deny it or obliterate it in any place or time. As Einstein said: God does not play dice so must also His creatures because of their free will. The lack of political will to do good is always a decision for the bad. President Noynoy should keep that in mind.
Excellent teaching. The best.
Sorry, in my previous comment I was inadequate and vague about the causal relationship between good and evil or between bad and good. It’s really complicated because the intellectuals and the literature are equivocal about the issue. Suffice to conjecture that Good cannot exist without evil because evil causes good which is really putting doubts into God’s omnipotence. Forget and disregard the word evil and just think that bad causes good; without the BAD there will be no GOOD.
Was the phrase “necessary evil” really meant to produce something good; in the same vein “choosing the lesser evil ” has the main objective of achieving good results. There are more examples of evil causing good but rarely do we encounter claims that good produces evil. Evil just springs from nowhere.
BAD administration causes GOOD administration. Now disregard the person or the individual and just think of their administration: Macapagal and Marcos caused Cory; Ramos, Erap and Arroyo caused Noynoy and his successor? People should be thankful that P Noy if he is not evil can not cause evil which might spring from somewhere.
Theists and atheists are puzzled why God allows evil to have longer staying power than good. Bad people had better lives and live longer while good people die young or live punishing lives. So that everything debatable guided only by our free will.
About Pacquiao’s allies and his political bosom friends did not he embraced the words of Jesus who had never been known to lie when he said: Tell me who your companions are (were) and I’ll tell you who you are. The common people are content to know that “birds of the same feathers flock together” or naturally they molt and feather together.
Joe what crimes did foreigners commit for which they were hung that you don’t wish to hang with them? It’s hard to fault your pedantics but gotcha…
pedantics?
Like every Filipino, I’m a Manny fan but please Manny don’t go where most the celebrities are going – the easy street. You’re being congressman has never been that stellar. I don’t know but what I see you’ll just end up like a Lito Lapid or a Bong Revilla – mostly used and mostly useless!
You don’t have to go to LP if you believe they are the enemy. Go with NP, a businessman’s party. Or go independent and tie in with Poe/Escudero, or even Old Man Estrada, who has redeemed himself through good works.
==========
That’s true. He can even form his own political party and politicians will flock and apply membership to it.
But let’s call spade a spade. Manny Pacquiao is a political ignoramus. In as much I respect and love him as a fighter politics has no place for a political dimwit like him.
I agree that he should get out of politics. There is nothing for him there and he has nothing to offer it with. Our political landscape is more than complete with corrupt numbskulls, know-nothing and all-knowing pretenders, progenies of trapos from days gone by and simply those with names enough to be voted by the no names.
It was enough that he made us proud as Filipinos from his exploits in the ring. He put the country in the map, so to speak. But what’s really important in his accomplishments, first and foremost, was he made something out of Manny Pacquiao. He made it. He was able to lift his life and family out of decrepit existence to life of affluence. He scaled the top of the sports world and reign supreme. Most importantly, he’s become rich, a billionaire exactly.
So why destroy all the good things he’s done by sticking his neck to politics? Why have his name sullied by identifying with trapos and corrupt people? Ambition, nothing more. His ambition to become president and Jinky’s yearning to be First Lady. Hebigat!
Again, I say this to Manny, in case he or his people are reading this, there is nothing in politics for you. You only matter to it because you are ‘Manny Pacquiao’ the name not the brain. Politics will be better of or be worse as it is without you. You are hallucinating if you think people will vote for you because you have something on that round thing above your shoulder. We don’t even know the status of that thing. It may not be functioning well because, surely, while it’s not being use it is at the same time being abused with all those blows it has gotten from fighting.
People will vote for you for reason other than you know something because you don’t. They just want to repay you with all the glory and joy you brought to them every time you fight.
Manny, maawa ka sa bansa. Let go of your ambition. 😮
Jameboy..good morning to you.
I hope Manny will listen and not be hurt by whay you said, hurt enough to still dig in with his decision to stick with his UNA friends.
Please go easy on the hurting words so he will hear the wisdom of the other portion of what you are saying.
He had helped a lot of his constituents in his district. Yes, his attendance in the sessions at the HR is more of an exception than the rule. I cannot judge him on that, nor say that that is the ideal thing to do. His usual twice a year fight abroad ate a lot of his time in order to prepare not to mention his other extra activities.
There is a lot to be said about a billionaire government official, he can afford to forego all the compensations he is entitled to which includes substantial discretionary allowances, salary being just a tiny, tiny portion of the total. I suspect he pours all of those annual amounts to his district. In the eyes of his constituents, that would compensate for his non presence in the HR sessions. If I’m not mistaken, Cong. Ledesma is also that way, his people love him inspite of his being among the habituaal absentees, as he distributed almost all of his landholdings to them. Being in Congress is about crafting laws and to be part of the constitutional check and balance in the three branches of our government, but his constituents have other ideas. Maybe they thought that he is more acceptable than the other corrupt members who are there, yes, but just to mingle with other corrupt members to cook up something to cheat the citizens…hahaha
You have a lot of good ideas, jameboy and you articulate them well…hats of to you. Just go easy on the less endowed.
I pray that he will be granted by God the discernment and wisdom so he can realize that that Binay, Estrada and the rest of the UNA parties are taking advantage of his kindness and good heart
Edgar is right. You are an anchor of good values and fair dealing, and kindness. I tried to separate the “moral message” from the political message in the blog. Manny is entitled to use his popularity to earn a living or make money or leverage it into service of the people, if that is his goal. I mean, that is what Grace Poe is doing, and I’m not sure she has much depth of leadership above what Manny has. He’s been boxing for years and dealing with contractual issues, working with advisers, taking his knocks by making mistakes (taxes), and orchestrating his family’s rise into local politics. He carries himself diplomatically.
To me, he is self-selecting on competence, just as Senator Poe is doing. If he stays in UNA, he is self-selecting himself has having both poor values and poor judgment. If Senator Poe, a greenie, chooses to use her popularity as the basis for qualifying herself as ready for the Presidency, she is demonstrating that she is a poor judge of managerial capability. She believes popularity is sufficient and experience doesn’t mean anything.
That is so “old school” for a nation that needs to get productive and knowledgeable and stop roaming about on the backs of people who are popular but unskilled.
Thanks, Joe..that surely made my day.
I wish Poe would listen to other people aside from Escudero who has belatedly realized what a monster he, along with Peping Cojuangco and his ilks, (kris and her other sisters included) helped create in the person of Binay. I just don’t know how sincere Escudero is in his recent pronouncements.
Manny and Grace sbould distinguish between friends and the long term welfare of the country, to consider not just today or 6 years later but be a visionary, look 20 or more years ahead for the sake of their children and the rest of the future generations to come.
I just penned at Raissa’t blog that I think Senator Escudero is proving to be a political snake. He is climbing on popular issues for political gain, no matter the facts at hand. He has criticized slow broadband speed to attach his name (and Poe’s) to that popular issue. Meanwhile, Senator Aquino is working diligently to pass the laws that will mandate change. Maybe Senator Escudero could simply put his backing to that bill and stop tearing down others.
He is also using the ferry tragedy as a platform for criticizing poor port administration, before any facts are in. That smacks of Binay using the Laude tragedy and Mamasapano 44 for political gain. Rather ghoulish. I mean, at least let people bury the dead before walking on them for political gain.
Also look at the list of his wedding sponsors, he just emasculated himself when the time comes when Roberto Benedicto needs to be exposed re his corrupting government officials like the DBP and Phil Stock Exchange inside trading, among others.
Yep. Exactly.
roberto ongpin aka binondo central bank governor. arrogance nonpareil. but no match to chit and leila and joeam, i believe.
Ah, parengtony, we do have our moments. They will pass.
One of the more interesting dramas that has not yet played out, other than as a preliminary round, is Osmena vs Ongpin, on the Alphaland/Makati deal. That would be like Cassius Clay going against George Foreman in front of a rather large audience, not usually the place where businessmen clash. The venue is the Blue Ribbon Subcommittee. The first round was quite dramatic as Osmena took Ongpin to task for not telling the truth. I understand the two have a bit of a history. Subsequent to that, we had Ongpin being one of the sponsors in the Escudero wedding, and we have both Osmena and Escudero being advisers in some capacity to Senator Poe. It’s quite a cocktail, and one is unable to tell if it is fruit or Molotov.
karl, you remember my great booboo before..some blogs ago.? Haha…why do I keep mistaking Roberto Benedicto for Roberto Ongpin..I just can’t fathom the reason…you reasoned that they were both Marcos’ crony anyway…geeez..and Joe, you even said my memory was like a tap…ewwww!
Trap, Mary . . . trap . . . ahahaha kiss kiss
More a molotov for sure…so which adviser would prevail upon Poe, Escudero or Osmena…exciting to watching for…so Osmena, which would it be, you seem to be anti PNOY now, but you were so right about Ongpin…I hope you and Poe would choose the right thing…please go with the righteous principle, the Filipino people vs the billionaire pal of Binay, Marcos et al..
Thanks…I failed to find another reply button last night, realized I I missed the “r” …hahaha… can’t seem to master typing in the ipad…excuses, excuses…. I better own up – I’m prone to typo errors, period.
aaaargh… exciting to watching for….what the heck, shit, crap english…my english professor and teacher would murder me if they are still alive, manny is way better….haaaist… should be “to watch out for” …too much sleeping during daytime when the rain is pouring down the roof…hahaha…
Mary, that’s your personality, we wouldn’t want you any other way than screaming at your keyboard after you push “submit”. hahahaha
My first view of the NBA basketball court at the old Los Angeles Forum, from the nosebleed section, watching Gail Goodrich and Jerry West orchestrate a majestic slicing and dicing of the opposition, it seemed like ballet.
The PBA is rock and roll.
*******
Some years ago, I read a Time interview in which Manny said in the vernacular that he was not an idiot. (Something like, “Hindi ako bobo.”)
It is true. Manny is not an idiot. And he has proved it by amassing a fortune, winning a congressional seat, and having Clinton and Ali as admirers.
Manny has also demonstrated an intense religious conviction.
It would be spectacular if Manny comes to realize that he is being used by the shrewdest of political operators. And a falling out would then make clear to everyone, as if there were any doubt, that Binay is corruption incarnate.
*****
Yes, I’m counting on his intense religious conviction for his enlightenment that they are using him, his fame, his name and his MONEY.
Manny, magmunimuni ka. Pagsumama ka sa BULOK, mabubublok ka rin. Gets mo ?
No such thing as “hurting words” in politics. It hurts only if it’s actionable. As a pugilists and a budding trapo, I’m confident that Manny will not mind if somebody say it to his face that he’s a political bonehead. For someone who was at the receiving end of Manuel Marquez’ devastating lucky punch, he’ll take it with a grain of salt.
Besides, it’s the truth. Manny Pacquiao is not a political animal. Well, he’s trying to be one but try hard as he want he’ll never be a good politician. He’s too soft, too gentle and too slow. In politics, he is everything opposite of what he is atop the ring.
Politics to Manny is just an afterthought. Like basketball coaching, he’s looking for something to do after his boxing days are over. But unlike coaching, he sees something in politics that he’s grown accustomed to in boxing: glory. Being on top, in control. Power. Successful people usually develop an insatiable appetite for success, for being number one.
That’s fine, but it’s not that easy especially if one is ‘crossing-over’. One can be a success as a singer while getting off from being a boxer or a lawyer. It doesn’t take much conversion-wise. But jumping from the ring into the political rostrum is another thing. In boxing, he’s being managed, directed and guided to victory. The brainwork is not his area of expertise in the team. All he has to focus on is to box and duck. In politics, he’ll be the mastermind, the operator or the thinker. Clearly, that’s a helluva thing to do.
I get it that he’s done a lot in his jurisdiction but for a budding and aspiring civil servant everything he’s doing now is expected because he’s targeting something big in the future. The ‘political correctness’ we’re seeing in Manny lately is an indication of how serious he is in pursuing his ambition in the world of politics.
Sad to say, though, unlike in boxing, Manny the politician doesn’t have a Freddie Roach by his side. 👀
I think Mary’s concern is not feelings, or the protecting of Manny Pacquiao, who is a big boy, but the diversion of the message, which is not about Pacquiao’s skills as a politician, or lack of them, but of the distinction between right and wrong. By complicating the argument, you weaken it, and give him reason to reject the simple point that being tied to Binay is bad, because he rejects the idea he does not have legislative skills. All this is intuitive on Mary’s part, and she makes a good point. Put someone in a corner, they will defend. Talk to them, and they may listen.
It’s not really about the ‘concern’ of Mary I’m addressing but the whole idea of the article of Manny ‘getting out’ of politics or UNA. I think she got my point and I really made myself clear of what I mean by what I said because politically there is nothing unknown in Manny Pacquaio, at least to me.
For Manny to ‘get out’ with sense it should be the whole package. Meaning get out of politics because it will only ruin him. He’s such a good guy to play politics. That’s my point.
With regard to the gist of the article on Manny siding with Binay, I agree it’s a bad combination. On the other hand, I don’t subscribe to the idea of lumping all UNA members like they are all little Binays or mini-me of Jojo. I’m sure there are good people in that party that just happened to be in a party where Binay is the guy.
I look at who was at the kick-off, and I see scalawags and scoundrels, people with a record of serving themselves first. Someone would have to point me to the good people there that I missed.
I think all these pleas are falling on deaf ears – isn’t it only recently that Manny himself stated in an interview that he’d like to be president someday? – it seems to me that he’s aligning with his perceived winner to lay the foundation for his own campaign, senator in the short term and God forbid, president beyond.
Could be. He is defined by his methods, though, so in that case he should not complain if we judge him harshly, and seek to deny him his dream, too.
Joe,
Everybody knows Manny Pacquiao has his heart in the right place and his doleouts have cost him a lot personally. Maybe he realized he cannot uplift the poor purely out of doleouts from his pocket and so he thought he might be able to do more as a legislator or governor. And so here you have a man his heart is in the right place, he is popular with the means to finance a campaign in addition to possessing endorsement power, all he needs is “legitimacy”.
Unfortunately, the thinking classes rejected his entry into politics from the get go. They thought he didn’t have the brains and “training” for politics. They could not see beyond his being a boxer. They wanted him boxed out of politics.
On the other hand, the “realistic” politicians, the “trapos” if you will, saw his potential and welcomed him with open arms.
Would Manny have joined them if the so-called non-trapos welcomed him in the first place? He was a diamond in the rough. The “thinking” class didn’t polish him. He was willing to learn, he enrolled in a governance course in UP but they dismissed it as antics or maybe even as futile for an uneducated man who earned his living by getting his head knocked around.
Manny is an honest, sincere, and inspirational person who was looking for a way to help the poor in a way that was much larger than what his personal wealth could do. He is not stupid or ignorant in the sense that those who survived purely on their wits are not.
Manny Pacquio could have been with us if only we weren’t so snobbish. Manny would have gone with anyone who would give him a chance to fulfill his goal of helping the poor. He went with those he believes are giving him that chance, with those he believes are giving him respect, with those who do not dismiss him as just another athlete/celebrity. We have no business telling him what’s good for him and whom to associate with because we did not open the door when he came knocking.
We have no business telling him what’s good for him and whom to associate with because we did not open the door when he came knocking.
========
Anyone who enter politics loses the right to claim that people have no business telling on them. Politics are people. Its business is to tell politicians everything. It’s the nature of the game where the politicians are the game. 🙉
Jameboy,
Manny is not telling you anything. I’m the one telling you that the “thinking” classes blew their chances of getting Manny on their side when they rejected him from the start. I’m telling you that you can scream and holler, cry and roll on the floor, but it’s too late. There he was waiting for someone to ask him for a dance, the “thinking” classes did not think he was pretty enough, the “trapos” saw his potential and asked him to dance, now the “thinking” class is telling him stop dancing with “those” guys. Well it’s too late, baby, it’s too late. 🙂
I don’t know about the thinking classes. All I know is Manny, being a politician, is fair game. It’s the business of the people to tell him what they thought of him. And that means either verbally or through the ballot. 😇
And you think that by patronising him you will show him the light?
Patronizing him? I’m sorry I didn’t get that. I have no intention of showing him the light for I’m nothing to Manny. I’m just expressing my opinion about him in relation to the topic of the blog. 😉
uhmmmm…. yes, we’re nothing to Manny but the rest of us has taken to the mode that’s like talking to him, face to face, addressing our friendly suggestion to him, directly like Joe had in the article, not talking about him, but talking to him. The exception is when we are commenting on a comment, in this blog article, at least. ….
Manny is basically a good man and has done nothing bad (like plunder and corruption) unlike his UNA friends. And I have every intention of helping, hoping and praying that he will see the light. I acknowledge that he can influence a lot of our voters which include all the ABCDE groups. These groups will flock any campaign sorties he will join in – when voters are there, our candidates can present their messages and people will have a chance to hear and listen. I for one wish he would join the PNOY’s LP.
We have been discussing for days how to reach the CDE class, and these groups will surely flock together wherever he goes.
We aim for the welfare of the majority, and that can be done when he see the light in regard to his present political advisers and friends.
That is a fascinating take on it. I wonder if Manny Pacquiao understands that he can use his great power for good. For the many millions of his fans. That it really is not all about him.
I’ll ask bluntly. What is more important? That he be President or that the Philippines becomes an honorable nation?
Turning my head to speak to him (another fine distinction on your part):
“Manny, which is more important? That you be President of the Philippines or that the Philippines becomes an honorable nation?”
Yes, that makes sense, but I still say he is defining himself by the method he chooses to get in power. Poe did not go the route of attaching to UNA. We do have an obligation to judge character and skill to the best of our ability. If he is really capable, he could run as an independent and get the job done. He for sure has the popularity and I expect a good deal of money.
Joe,
Your “plea” sounded like you were talking down to him, that’s why I felt the need to point out where I thought Manny Pacquiao was coming from.
As to comparing him with Grace, well Grace had the luxury of choice, she was courted by both UNA and the administration. Manny was courted only by one side. Even in 2010, Villar approached him first, Villar supported his candidacy.
There are many who are really capable but will not run as independents, they run as guest candidates because no one, as far as I can recall, has ever managed to win a national election on his own – putting up and financing a nationwide campaign organization independent of local politicans who either belong to the administration or the leading opposition party; offering a full slate of candidates from national to local level – and won. It will take enormous resources to do it. And even if he wins, if his candidates do not win, then he will have to enter into alliances thus compromising his independence.
So I still say, he has defined himself as a man whose heart is in the right place – he wants to uplift the poor – but the only avenue open to him was Villar and now UNA. Besides, everybody knows that in this country any politician with his own following answers to his followers and not to his political party or coalition and so after all is said and done Pacquiao can do as he damn well pleases without any fear of reprisal from his party/coalition mates more so now that PDAF and DAP, the most tools of party discipline, are comatose. Comatose because they will come back to life albeit in a different form because good governance and all those fine things are secondary to delivering to one’s constituents a slice of the national pie. Why else do we send representatives to the body whose primary duty is to tax and spend?
Yes, I had assumed a cloak of moral superiority, and I think that’s where most people are standing with regard to his being attached to UNA. Your view is quite unusual, from all that I’ve read. I find your last paragraph rather dismaying, as if arguing for the culture of entitlement rather than service. I don’t think Bam Aquino is in it for the PDAF. I think he delivers slices of the pie that he thinks are in the nation’s best interest, and from that, he will gain. Not the other way around, which is the way Marcos et al operate. Manny seems more inclined toward the Marcos approach to me, based on his attendance record and the belief you advance that if his heart is in the right place, all things are legitimate.
By the way my internet is acting up so this may come out as duplicate posts or worse….:-)
Joe,
No, not entitlement. You misunderstood me.
Public service, as far as the constituency Manny appeals to goes, means delivering hard goods like infrastructure, irrigation, clinics, etc and specially soft goods like scholarships, medical assistance, etc. directly and immediately
Those are also in the best interest of the nation because the lowest classes – lower C, D and E – get to share in the fruits of economic growth, directly and immediately.
Those goods and services are or were delivered mainly through PDAF and partly through DAP. And so members of Congress must use their PDAF for their districts. Even Bam Aquino has to deliver those goods to remain electable because electability rests on the perception that one delivers. Why do you think Binay and Erap are so popular? The perception that they are approachable and they are always there to help. The country may be pretty well-off today but the people still think poor. They have not yet adjusted their mind-set to the new realities.
But, going back to Bam, in addition to taking care of CDE classes he also attends to the needs of the AB by introducing legislation that will benefit them. Manny attends to mainly to the CDE, that’s where he comes from, he can emphatize with them, and he knows what their immediate needs are.
All good politics start with having your heart in the right place. If you don’t care for people then you have no business in politics or public service.
As to doing what he damn well pleases, well that holds true for all politicians who are popular and who have the resources needed for winning. There are no political parties here that can impose discipline on party members except the reds. But I like it that way, I like to be governed by people, not by ideologies. I agree with George Washington’s views on political parties, I agree with Woodrow Wilson’s views on the matter as well. Once a politician enters Malacañan or Congress he must be beholden to the people and not to his party. To quote Manuel L. Quezon – “My loyalty to my party ends where my loyalty to my people begins.”
Once upon a time the country had only two political parties. And that status quo held because only two political parties were entitled to election inspectors – the top two in the previous election. Now we have become like England and Europe, we have more political parties than we can throw a stick at and governance is impossible without coalitions. We have politicians changing parties more often than they change their underwear. But like I said, I don’t mind it because I vote for the person not his party or his ideology. I think most Filipinos also vote for the person and not for parties or ideologies. Manny knows this, Manny has a mission, a good one, but in order to fulfill his mission he has to get elected first and so he goes with whoever will give him that opportunity, the opportunity to fulfill his mission to help the poor. No sense of entitlement there, just a desire to help, to render public service.
So let’s get off the high horse. If you want Manny, then offer him a better deal. If you don’t care about Manny or believe his endorsement won’t affect anything, then you won’t care whom he supports.
I care whom Manny supports because he supports a crook and it defines Manny Pacquiao as having poor values and poor judgment. That is not being on a high horse. That is seeing who was at the UNA rally. I see a difference between Bam Aquino and Manny Pacquiao, the former working hard to benefit the entire nation – all classes – by opening up the ports to international traffic, working on improving broadband services, and getting anti-trust (pro-competition) legislation on the books, the latter showing up in the House hall for something like 4 days. Now both may be pure of heart, for what they do, but, one’s heart is in it for the people full time. The other is not. I would not, myself, offer Manny a deal if I ran a political party, but I certainly have no problem with him taking the initiative to convince another party that his heart and deeds and effort would represent the party and its other members well.
I don’t have a problem with parties based on personalities. But it is weird when they have no platform and no ideologies and make no specific promises as to programs they will implement.
Joe,
Like you said assumed a cloak of moral superority. Well I tried to make you see things from the perspective of Pacquiao, at least where I think he is coming from, that he was not only not invited but rejected as an ignoramus from the get go….admittedly Manny does not seem to be a grand thinker not in the same category as the great Bam…Manny doesn’t even attend House sessions…but if the only thing he does is bring home the bacon to his constituents then he will be happy and so will his constituents because that’s all he promised them.
We can be absolutists when it comes to values but it does not always work out well. For example remember the absolutists who said all pork was bad hence PDAF should be abolished immediately and those who saw PDAF in shades of grey rather than black and white had poor values? Well a lot of kids on scholarships suffered, a lot of people who depended on PDAF for their medicines and medical care suffered. Because some congressmen were putting their PDAF to good use but they got swept away by the tidal wave of moral absolutists.
And speaking of supporting a crook – are you aware that both Bam and his father supported GMA? Bam had some kind of youth post under GMA while the father was an adviser. Does that define who Bam is? So Bam finally saw the light? Well Manny might also see the light. right? So let’s not write people off just like that.
Writing him off? He’s writing himself off in my book if he sticks with Binay. The blog is actually IN FAVOR of Manny Pacquiao . . . by recommending that he find the light. It is all in his court, not mine, as to whether or not he is written off. If he can demonstrate in 8 months that he has the skills and dedication to be senator by speaking intelligently to the issues, and not just ripping at the Aquino Administration or standing on the glory of his boxing championships, then I could change my mind. My bookie Sal just snorted and ran from the room . . .
“I care whom Manny supports because he supports a crook and it defines Manny Pacquiao as having poor values and poor judgment.”
You haven’t given your opinion on whether or not Bam accepting the appointment to head the Ntional Youth Commission under GMA defined him as having poor values and poor judgment.
I haven’t studied that. It depends on the year and the circumstances. I’ve watched the Blue Ribbon Subcommittee hearings.
“Public service, as far as the constituency Manny appeals to goes, means delivering hard goods like infrastructure, irrigation, clinics, etc and specially soft goods like scholarships, medical assistance, etc. directly and immediately.”
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If that really was the purpose I think Manny ran for the wrong office. Those function mentioned infers executive action through direct public service. It’s people-to-people kind of activity which is not really the main focus of a legislative function. He could have ran for mayor or governor or even a barangay captain if the purpose was to connect and be of assistance to people.
And highlighting the value of PDAF is not giving Manny his fair due as a public servant because it infers that without PDAF Manny is nothing. Without the presence of the reason (PDAF) to help people why he is in Congress he’s inutile, useless. I don’t think that will seat well on Manny.
“All good politics start with having your heart in the right place. If you don’t care for people then you have no business in politics or public service.”
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But when do you know if one’s heart is in the right place? The biggest heart that was in the right place (according to her) that I’ve ever seen was Imelda Marcos. Does that mean all she did was good politics?
And I don’t believe that a ‘heart in the right place’ equals good politics. Even the crookest of the crooks gets to care for people or do some good politics. To be of service to the people does not require only a heart in the right place it also demand from one to have a clear-thinking head and lots of common sense. 👀
“Those goods and services are or were delivered mainly through PDAF and partly through DAP. And so members of Congress must use their PDAF for their districts. Even Bam Aquino has to deliver those goods to remain electable because electability rests on the perception that one delivers. Why do you think Binay and Erap are so popular? The perception that they are approachable and they are always there to help. The country may be pretty well-off today but the people still think poor. They have not yet adjusted their mind-set to the new realities.”
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But Congress is not there because of PDAF. Legislators are not measured in terms of their delivery. That to remain electable one has to deliver goods and services. That’s bribery and corruption already which made the PDAF a hot issue not too long ago.
Erap and Binay were popular not because they were legislators, like Manny, that crafted a lot of laws that benefitted the poor. None of that. They were popular because they started as chief executives in their respective city. They made their names not through making outstanding and remarkable bills but by simply of service to the people in their jurisdiction as mayors. 😶
Seems like you’re th expert.
Everybody knows Manny Pacquiao has HIS HEART IN THE RIGHT PLACE and his doleouts have cost him a lot personally. Maybe he realized he cannot uplift the poor purely out of doleouts from his pocket and so he thought he might be able to do more as a legislator or governor. And so here you have a man HIS HEART IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE, he is popular with the means to finance a campaign in addition to possessing endorsement power, all he needs is “legitimacy”.
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If his ‘heart’s in the right place’ what does he need ‘legitimacy’ for?
And if wants to do more for the poor running as legislator seems to be the wrong way to go. I said that because I have yet to see a pro-poor legislation coming out from Rep. Pacquiao’s office. Granting that he authored and passed bills meant to help the poor, it’s still no match to an actual and direct effort of helping the poor. Obviously, having one’s heart in the right place is not enough. He should also have his brain in the right place to be able to realize that he doesn’t need to run for public office if his real intention is to help the poor. With his fame, friends and sponsors, he can initiate livelihood programs meant to uplift the poor in the depressed areas in the country in his private capacity. He can do a lot as a private citizen and deliver fast results than be bounded by rules and regulation as a government official. He doesn’t need ‘legitimacy’ if his heart is really in the right place.
All it takes is sincerity to serve without expectation. 👀
Jameboy,
“If his ‘heart’s in the right place’ what does he need ‘legitimacy’ for?”
Maybe I should have used respect instead of legitimacy. Respect in the sense that he is not to be dismissed as a mere celebrity/athlete and an ignoramus, respect in the same way that we treat and assess others who want to go into public service, respect that you will give someone you consider as no lesser than you.
“And if wants to do more for the poor running as legislator seems to be the wrong way to go.”
Well, that’s your opinion. It also reveals that you think you know better than he does. No respect.
“I said that because I have yet to see a pro-poor legislation coming out from Rep. Pacquiao’s office. Granting that he authored and passed bills meant to help the poor, it’s still no match to an actual and direct effort of helping the poor.”
Precisely. That’s why I said he was going to use his PDAF or whatever incarnation it is now, to do exactly that. Not everybody who goes to Congress has to introduce legislation. In fact, if you read the Constitution, the only thing mentioned there about the job of Congress is to enact the budget and to pass revenue bills. So a congressman need not spend all his time introducing bills. A congressman can participate in investigations, in policy debates, in doing nothing except bringing home the bacon to his constituents and still be a good member of congress.
“Obviously, having one’s heart in the right place is not enough.”
But it is the starting point. Those who do not care about people have no business going into politics or public service.
“He should also have his brain in the right place to be able to realize that he doesn’t need to run for public office if his real intention is to help the poor. With his fame, friends and sponsors, he can initiate livelihood programs meant to uplift the poor in the depressed areas in the country in his private capacity. He can do a lot as a private citizen and deliver fast results than be bounded by rules and regulation as a government official. He doesn’t need ‘legitimacy’ if his heart is really in the right place.”
Well he has helped the poor out of his own pockets. He has given out millions. So maybe he knows the limits of what he can do as a private citizens so he decided to run for public office because he believes he can do more as a public official. Again you dismiss the man like you know better, like you gave out your own millions to the poor, like you have a lot of experience in private philantrophy. Are you personally familiar with private philantrophy and its limits? I suspect not. And here you are armed with nothing but opinions telling someone who has been there what is best for him to do. Give the man some credit, the man didn’t get to where he is now because he is stupid.
Precisely. That’s why I said he was going to use his PDAF or whatever incarnation it is now, to do exactly that. NOT EVERYBODY WHO GOES TO CONGRESS HAS TO INTRODUCE LEGISLATION. In fact, if you read the Constitution, THE ONLY THING MENTIONED THERE ABOUT THE JOB OF CONGRESS IS TO ENACT THE BUDGET AND TO PASS REVENUE BILLS. So a congressman need not spend all his time introducing bills. A congressman can participate in investigations, in policy debates, in doing nothing except bringing home the bacon to his constituents and still be a good member of congress.
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ARTICLE VI
THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT
Section 1. The LEGISLATIVE power shall be vested in the Congress of the Philippines which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives…..
LEGISLATIVE – 1. having the function of MAKING LAWS.
2. of or relating to the ENACTMENT OF LAWS.
If Manny is in Congress just for the PDAF, I don’t think his “heart is in the right place”. His eyes and hands maybe but definitely not his heart.
I don’t look at his running for public office as a means to do more because he’s being limited as a private citizen. A lot of people help in any means they can and don’t even entertain the idea of coveting public office. There are a lot of means to help like charity, foundation, scholarship, livelihood projects, educational/training programs, etc. that well to do people do and do quietly.
Lastly, sir, let’s keep the discussion on the issue. There’s nothing personal in expressing one’s opinion. Everything can be smoothed out by inquiring or asking question if you think there is something in what you read needs to be clarified, corrected or simply you do not agree with. Criticize if you must but limit it within the border of blog’s coverage. My person or me has nothing to do with the topic. My thinking or idea does. So, I suggest, like me, you focus on the idea and proceed from there. Thank you. 😇
At the UNA launch Manny said “We have a right to choose who’s in our heart”. But there is hope yet, when asked if he would campaign for Binay, he was non-committal.
Right. It was that pause from him that inspired me to write this plea. If Rep Pacquiao thinks Binay is bad for the country, he could put him on the canvas in ways that others cannot. Or he can be an enabler.
I’m a romantic myself but I’m not buying the projection that Manny was snubbed by the thinking class, hence the unthinking class welcomed him. At least that’s what’s the implication I’m getting.
Manny doesn’t need anyone to “give him a chance”. He did not become Manny Pacquaio only to end up “needing” a chance or approval from anyone or any group. Manny is a walking, talking and breathing personification of chance, of opportunity, of power and success, of everything. And there was never a moment in Manny’s political life that he knocked and nobody opened the door. That’s a misplaced sentimentalism. A good campaign slogan but an unbelievable tale. 🙊
Dear Manny,
As a sportsman you know the value and the danger of a coach. So now and then you have to step back and evaluate your relationship. Does the coach still have a clear vision you can share, can you still easily communicate, is he up to date with the newest training techniques, is he working strictly in your interest…
I politics it is the same. So now and then you have to step aside too and evaluate the relationship with your core advisors. Did circumstances change? Are things moving in the direction you want and who is really in charge, you or your councilors?
I’m a total outsider but still dare to advise you to take a time-out and ask yourself if your political coaches still move in the way you want.
Olongapo Governor Ebdane was charged in public. Ombudsman gave Inquirer the charge sheet for Ebdane. Ebdane knew about the charges thru Inquirer. To this day Ebdane has not received “the copy of the Ombudsman resolution which found probable cause to indict him for usurpation of official functions when he issued permits to Geoking Asia Mining Corp., a task of the provincial mining regulatory board.”
Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/702845/ebdane-not-cowed-by-graft-charges#ixzz3exCxKuR0
I just love Philippine Justice. This is not what we taught U.P.-Law Graduates in American textbooks authored by Americans that we provided them.
What we instruted in American Law textbook authored by Americans, WE DELIVER the charges to the Chargee before we let the public knows.
That is why I always read the Philippine Newspapers run by University of the Philippines journalism graduates because this is the FIRST PLACE I can know if I am being charged with Label before the charges gets to my residence.
WHY I LOVE THIS STYLE OF THE PHILIPPINES – So I can pack my bags and ready to go. I am standing here outside American Embassy’s door.
That is why in the Philippines perpetrators do not get caught because they know before extraction team come and get me. How can they arrest an American citizen? If they do, China will be laughing all the way to Manila.
Mariano : WHY I LOVE THIS STYLE OF THE PHILIPPINES
Haha…I have a friend here. Company got lots of legal cases (mostly he is not at fault). Each time there is a sheriff coming, he always knew in advance, and of cos he went MIA. I never asked my friend how come he has such intuition.
Joe you are dreaming ,binay and pacquia are the same.originally he was with GMA but not won,he transferred to LP.the was after him,he went to binay.he is hungry of power
Actually, that thought does reside in the back of my mind as I see his ego at work being coach and rep and boxing champ. And stating that the presidency is in his plans.
Not every body can be a boxer, but everybody can be President I guess . . . it’s a no skills job . . .
Joe,
This quote by someone whose name I forgot aptly describes him: :He knows nothing and thinks he knows everything. That points clearly to a political career.
Geng
Ahahaha, beautiful. Perfect.
Or a blogging career. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Uncle Joe, just like he relies on Roach for his boxing decisions. His political decisions are heavily influenced by one of his supporters, Lito Atienza, who in turn supports Binay hoping to return as a mayor of Manila. Pacquiao, in all his greatness remains humble and prayerful. May the Holy Spirit grant him discernment.
Yes indeed.
Yes, bauwow. Lito Atienza and Chavit Singson. Manny can learn so much from those two characters.
“Pacquiao, in all his greatness remains humble and prayerful. May the Holy Spirit grant him discernment.”
the only way for him to have discernment is to go back to school or do a Lincoln or Bonifacio. that’s the reason sunod sunuran sya kay Arum, Atienza and Binay and to his God
Can I nitpick a bit? The Pope is His Holiness, not His Eminence! Haha, I know I’m such an annoying smart aleck sometimes :p
Oops, that’s what we get when a Lutheran is doing the commentary . . . but I appreciate the correction.
Who is His Eminence?? The king?
A cardinal gets this, in script & address, Joe.
Ah, thank’s sonny. I appreciate the education.
His Holiness the Pope
His Eminence the Cardinal
His Excellency the Bishop 🙂
I have an editorial position available . . . hahaha (Thanks)
Sometimes political greed overshadow idealism … if the only chance to be in…
Yes, I wonder how they explain that to themselves, or their families. “I’m going with a crook because then I can get elected and do good things.”
Manny Pacquiao’s track record is to get a position (House Rep) to get to the next position (Senate) with a trail of no accomplishment. The next position, of course is President, and after than he submits himself to God.
It is usually explained like this: people SAY he is a bad guy, but he can’t be because he is nice and he is helping us who are his folks. Everybody helps their own kind don’t they?
Yes, it’s like a short in the synopses, the mind fails to connect to truth and so ends up with fiction. Then lives in it.
I hear Manny is considering to move to LP, to join Mar, I hope it happens